Hamartia
by IThoughtMYJokesWereBad
Summary: First casualty of war: truth. Lies told to protect & win. Identities hidden & destroyed. Your brother in arms isn't who you think he is. Yet you fight by his side, & you'll follow him into another. For he is one man you trust. In post-war times, the pilots are hunted by the Preventers, but that's the least of their worries. What happens when another, worse war breaks out?
1. Prologue

**Disclaimer: All rights go to their respective owners. No copyright infringement intended.**

Prologue

Eyes of an entrancing yet strange shade shone as they meticulously scanned the controls before them. Pale hands of long, thin fingers fluttered over the knobs and buttons, pressing and turning them until they were just right. A smile tugged at the corners of thin, pink lips.

"My boy," a gravelly voice started with a raspy sigh. Wrinkles etched their lines into every inch of the elder man's tanned face, especially where his eyes crinkled from the past nine years of unadulterated happiness. Combined with his long beard and hair of such a dark grey splaying over his upper chest and dark robes, the man could have been easily mistaken for the fictional Gandalf the Grey. Though his eyes were quite a few shades a lighter blue, the wise man had been a dead ringer for the _Lord of the Rings_ warlock.

Shaggy hair fell in the eyes of the fifteen year-old young man as he pivoted around. His eyebrows scrunched as he attempted to blow it upwards and out of his face, but to no avail. Sighing minutely, he ran a hand through his ever-messy hair, pulling as much as he could out of his face, though most of it still flopped into his eyes. "Sir?" he asked, eyes rolled up to look at his hair as he tried new ways of tackling the tangled mop.

A smile crossed the elder man's face, crinkling the corners of his ice blue eyes once again. Reaching a hand over, he pushed the dark locks out of the boy's face. They fell back, but stayed out of his eyes, much to both of their pleasure. "There's no point." A deep chuckle rumbled from his chest as he pulled his hand back to his own side. Twiddling with his robes, the man grew somber quickly, the smile still staying in place, but the crinkles were gone. "I..." he heaved a great sigh. "Be safe. Please?" It was the first time the boy had heard any hint of desperation in his mentor's voice. But love was there too; which only served to fuel the young teen's excitement.

Resting a hand on the taller one's shoulder, he gazed up at his closest friend. "Always." The seriousness in his tone served as a small shock to the grayed man, but he quickly shook it off, enveloping the child in his surprisingly strong arms. The hug was returned with the same vigor from the boy, who buried his head in the man's chest with a deep, shuddering breath. His throat was tightening up and his eyes pricked. He didn't want to cry. He was going to be one of the saviors of humanity. Saviors do not cry. "I'll miss you," the youth choked out, squeezing his eyes shut.

The arms tugged tighter. "And I you." It was only a whisper, but it conveyed so much more meaning than the young man had thought possible. Sniffling, he squeezed the man tight and released him, stepping back and quickly shielding his face with his hair. He didn't want his mentor thinking he was too weak to take on the mission. He used the back of his calloused hands to wipe his nose before composing himself. He knew the older man noticed, but was ever-thankful he left it alone. "Are you ready to go?"

Nodding fervently, hair flying in every direction, the smile crept its sneaky way back to his face. "When am I not?" It was meant to lighten the mood, which it, thankfully, did smoothly.

With a small roll of his light eyes, the man hovered beside the dark-haired child as the teen climbed into the pilot's seat. Typing a few codes into the ship's main control system, the engine roared to life, purring healthily. It relaxed the child's nerves just to feel the ship rumble beneath him. This was it. No turning back.

A small pat on the head and the wrinkled man stepped back, headed for the exit. "I have faith in you, Harry." The teen's heart swelled at the sentiment. "I'll be waiting for your report of your landing," he added, and Harry didn't even have to look back to know the man was waggling a finger at him in a half-hearted way.

Chuckling, he replied. "I'll see you soon, Ab. It'll all be over in a matter of days once I get down there. You just wait." He heard the telltale click of the metal door sliding closed and sealing air-tight. A small beep echoed in the cabin a few seconds later and Aberforth's face appeared on the screen.

"Don't be _too_ cocky now. I taught you better than that." The smile on his face displayed all the pride he felt in the boy.

It brought Harry to do something he had never dared. "Love you, Ab." He kept his confidence in his voice, hoping he wouldn't be shot down or reprimanded for uttering such a sentence.

But Aberforth was always full of surprises. "Love you too, Harry. Make me proud."

Harry's smile widened tenfold, almost putting the Joker to shame. "Mission accepted." And he launched the rocket into the black depths of space.

**A/N: So this story will be told in third person all throughout, just for future reference. This is short, but, hey, it's the prologue, that's okay. Any criticism (be it constructive, praising, degrading) is welcome. I'll update soon, hopefully. Don't come after me with torches for starting yet **_**another**_** 'fic. Please.**


	2. Chapter 1: Obliviate

**Disclaimer: All rights go to their respective owners. No copyright infringement intended.**

**A/N: Special thanks to Life's a dream, karone-sakura, and Cynthia Joy Finnegan for reviewing and also to everyone else who favourited or added this story to your alerts list! It really gives me inspiration to write:)**

Chapter 1: _Obliviate_

"_Mission. Accepted." Heartless as those two words sounded, Duo could hear the shaking fear behind them._

_Heero was afraid._

_But that didn't stop him from jabbing a thumb down on the offending red button. Warning sirens blared from behind Heero in the cockpit. A flash of blinding blue light hastily followed, emanating from Gundam 01. The light appeared to push Heero into the air all on its own, but all watching knew better._

_Duo instantly cried out, jerking forward as if to stop the other young man. His seat restraints held him back, throwing him against the hard plastic of his cockpit seat, his braid pinned uncomfortably behind him. "Heero!" he shouted, but it fell on deaf ears._

_Already, Heero was flying through the air, shrapnel trailing after him, no doubt breaking through his soft flesh. The thought made Duo sick to his stomach. The _sight_ alone did just that. Duo's hands clenched into fists. His nails dug into his palms so forcefully one even drew blood, though it didn't even register as he watched on. He couldn't look away, no matter how hard he tried. Even when Heero flailed like a ragdoll and crumpled in a heap on the cold ground, he couldn't tear his eyes away from the horrific scene._

_They grew blurry as they saw the red quickly pool and surround Heero's eternally-messy head of hair. He slammed a fist down on the controls. His eyes clenched shut, pushing back the tears that threatened to escape and break his mask. "Damn!" he choked out, usually-jovial mask gone. Duo had known it was only a matter of time before one of them got hurt._

_It always ended that way._

His braid, messy and tangled with sleep, flew up behind him as he shot up in bed, hands clutched tight around the warm pistol he kept hidden under his pillow everywhere he went. Some kids sleep with a security blanket, Duo slept with a gun.

Same thing...

His crazed blue eyes swept the room, shiftily scanning in just the way both G and the streets had taught him. _Clear,_ he thought out of habit. Reluctantly prying one hand away from the gun, he ran his right hand through his bangs, peeling them off his glistening face. There was a chill running up and down his spine.

Something wasn't right.

Both hands returned to the gun.

Duo was careful to avoid the known creaky floorboards as he crept across the chilled room, coming to silently rest his back against the wall nearest the door. Holding the gun close, his chest rose high as he sucked in a deep, steadying breath.

_1_

He flexed his fingers.

_2_

He wiped his face of emotion.

_3_

He pulled the door open, gun poised in front of him with a steady hand. Scanning the wide room, he saw nothing out of place. Duo flipped the light switch swiftly, illuminating the only other room in his hotel room, besides the cramped bathroom. Keeping his gun tight in his hand, he sauntered across the room to the open kitchen to peek behind the counter. He came up empty-handed. Spinning back around to where he could see his whole hotel room perfectly, Duo saw absolutely nothing amiss.

But that chill was still there. Though, it always was nowadays. Just because the Eve Wars had ended didn't mean he was free to roam where he pleased. He and the others were being hunted, like_ they _were the bad guys. It wasn't exactly what Duo had in mind as reciprocation for helping save the earth and colonies.

Sighing, Duo loosened his grip on his gun, trudging his way back to his bedroom. Deciding to leave the door open—_Paranoia strikes again_, Duo thought morosely—he pulled a fresh pair of jeans out of his closet along with a black, long-sleeved shirt. He may have (reluctantly) ditched the priest outfit to better blend in, but he could never really let go of his obsession with all things black. Slipping on the clothes, Duo plopped down on his mattress, yanking his hair out of its matted braid and running his fingers through to banish the knots from his prized possession, feeling too lazy to grab his brush.

Once he felt it looked well enough, Duo concealed his weapon under the loose shirt he wore and headed out the door. Glimpsing the clock above the stove as he yanked the door open Duo saw it was 2:32 a.m. Shaking his head, he continued on, quietly sealing the door behind him before journeying out.

oOoOoOo

Duo's hair blew wildly about him. He regretted not picking up a jacket before leaving the warm confines of his current housing. October was supposed to be slightly chilly, maybe sweatshirt weather at the most. _Not in London_, he sarcastically noted. Another harsh wind ripped through his thin shirt. Goosebumps erupted on his body. Duo pulled his sleeves down over his hands, cupping them in front of his mouth to blow hot air on them. He had lived through much harsher times and conditions, but living with Quatre all those months in the life of luxury must have made him go soft. He rolled his eyes at himself. His bright eyes skimmed over the bustling people to the shop windows. Taking a quick turn right down a seemingly abandoned street, Duo came upon a small café.

Ducking inside, Duo welcomed the warmth with open arms. The smell of coffee brewing hung in the air alongside freshly baked cookies. It made Duo's mouth water. Ambling over to one of the four tables, Duo plopped down, content with just relishing in the homey atmosphere. Out of his peripheral, he could see a small blonde make her way towards him.

"How may I help you?" Her voice sounded beyond tired. When Duo looked up, he could see that the look in her eyes reflected that notion as well. Sending her his trademark smile, he quietly ordered a hot chocolate. She seemed to lighten up a little, much to Duo's delight.

He noted that there was one other person in the coffee shop besides him and the girl. Pushing his training away, Duo allowed himself to leisurely gaze around the quaint little shop. The walls were a pale yellow that warmed him even more. Two paintings hung upon the walls, opposite each other. One was of a magnificent waterfall and the other of mountains taller than Duo had ever seen. The clack of the girl's heels echoed through the café, pulling his eyes away from the lovely pieces of art. She sat his drink down carefully with a warning of the hot temperature. He handed her some money, smiling as he told her to keep the change. It wasn't much, but he gave what he could.

Minding her warning, Duo blew on the scalding beverage before taking a tentative sip. Nothing like hot chocolate to sooth the nerves. It was like liquid gold. Duo's eyes closed of their own accord, a small smile flittering its way to his face. His fingers slowly grew warm as he cradled the sky blue mug in his hands. Another sip. Another smile.

The bell above the door chimed. Duo instantly pulled out of his reverie, going on the defensive. His body tensed. He put the mug down in the middle of the table, hoping not to spill it if he had to make a quick getaway. He hated leaving messes for the innocents to clean up. His left hand instantly went to where his pistol was holstered, but he made sure to retract it—it would draw attention, for one, and, for two, he hated using the gun more so than leaving messes behind.

Duo would run and hide if it came down to it. That fact still remained the same.

Nonchalantly shifting his seat, Duo gained a peripheral view of the door and the counter. He glimpsed two men, both in dark clothing, striding toward the front of the store. Their gaits indicated just how highly they thought of themselves.

_Aww, shit_.

But they walked right past him, seemingly not even noticing his presence. Duo didn't let his guard down though. He kept a close eye on the pair as they stood at the front of the counter. The little blonde finished up cleaning the table next to his and started her way toward them. But she had only made it a few steps when a shout echoed throughout the room.

"Get down!"

The café was illuminated in an eerie green light. Duo was able to catch a glimpse of three shadows stretching up the pastel walls of the hole-in-the-wall coffee shop as he forcefully threw his chair out from under him and ducked under the table. Momentarily sneering at the gum under the table and making sure his braid was as far from it as possible, he looked to see the tiny blonde under a table—the one she had just been cleaning—as well. Her knees were pulled to her chest and she looked to be shaking. The urge to roll his eyes disgusted him. It was perfectly reasonable for someone to be fearful when a fight breaks out in a coffee shop at three in the morning. Not everyone should be expected to have militaristic training.

"_Stupefy_!" A burst of red whizzed past his hiding spot, hitting a chair and sending it scrapping across the linoleum floor.

Duo got on his knees, still wary of his braid and the filthy gum, and crawled to the edge of his table, pushing a chair out of the way. Daringly, he stuck his head out from under his shelter in an attempt at glancing what was occurring. A shot of silver barely skimmed over his head. He instantly pulled back into the shadow of the table. He didn't know what the hell had just passed his head, but something told him that he was lucky to have missed it. Duo sucked in a deep breath before peeking at the scene again, this time being sure to keep under the piece of furniture serving as his protection.

There were three fighting—the two who had just entered and the one person who had been in the café before Duo. One had dark, almost black hair tied back in a ponytail at the base of his head. Duo was momentarily reminded of Wufei. The one with the ponytail appeared to be working alongside the freakishly tall, curly haired man. The two were dressed in dark robes that billowed with each swift moment either made. In any other situation, Duo would have thought that looked cool, but when he saw who they were fighting against, Shinigami reared his ugly head.

They were ganging up on a kid Duo's age, give or take a few years. Duo couldn't get a good view of the guy's face as the kid ducked and rolled behind the counter, but he caught a mop of extremely untidy, dark hair.

Duo's eyebrows scrunched together as he continued to watch. The robed men were flicking their wrists with precision that almost paralleled that of a Gundam pilot. As one spun and pressed his body flat on the ground despite the shards of glass from the broken display counter, Duo saw a polished stick clutched in the man's left hand.

"What the hell?" Duo whispered to himself, eyes widening as the teen popped up from behind the counter again, shouting a stream of words so quickly he could have been speaking Portuguese for all Duo knew. But the man with the curly hair fell, stiff as a board. His body slid down the aisle a little ways, close enough that Duo could see his face. All that looked to be moving were his eyes. The dark brown irises were frantically moving this way and that until they landed on Duo. They fixed him with a glare. It was almost as if Duo could see the revulsion towards him in the man's eyes, like his presence alone was offending. Picking up the chrome napkin holder that had ended up on the floor in his haste to take cover, Duo chucked it at the man's face. Blood splattered from the man's nose, satisfying Shinigami for the moment.

_How you like me now?_

Purple reflected off the napkin holder, and Duo was drawn back to watching the fight. The man with the ponytail was ducking behind a table now, back pressed to the wall. Duo could just barely see the youth behind the demolished counter. Instead of peeking from above the counter, like the man in the robes would expect, the kid was coming around the side. He too held a stick tight in his grasp. The boy's chest rose and fell rapidly. His hair was in his face, blocking all visual from Duo. But he still smirked as the boy came around the counter, catching his opponent off guard.

"_Stupefy_!" he shouted. The man's head hit the wall with a crack, but he kept moving. Duo had to give him some props for that—he had heard the crack from across the café. The teen was no longer behind the counter. He was standing right in front of the man. _Ballsy move_, Duo thought. He was sure it was going to cost the kid. But when the robed man sought to take advantage of his open target, a thin, shiny half bubble erupted from the stick in the teen's right hand. It acted as a shield around him, and the red light from the ponytailed man ricocheted back at him. The man gave a violent jerk when the light made contact with him. A scream of agony escaped his lips as he crumpled to the floor, head hitting the metal seat of a chair on his way down. The scream died out, and the man was silent.

Duo didn't dare stand, even with both obvious threats gone. Seeing how well that kid did, he very well could be a threat too. Deciding it wise to stay put for the time being, Duo followed the teen with curious blue eyes as he crossed the distance between him and the ponytailed man. Though his back was to Duo, he could practically feel the hatred rolling off him in waves. The shaggy haired boy squatted down, knees popping, in front of the man. He reached in the man's pockets, rifling around until he found what he was looking for. A wallet. Duo saw him scan it real quick before returning the item. Standing full height again, he pointed the stick he held at the unconscious man.

"_Obliviate_." A soft glow came from their direction. Duo couldn't see it, even as he craned his neck.

The dark-haired boy quickly executed a perfect about-face and stormed in the direction of the other fallen attacker. Duo could clearly see the anger and hatred in each step. Silently, Duo scrunched back under the table, melting into the shadows. He still kept the boy in sight. The teen squatted down next to the curly-haired man just like he had with the other, but he didn't reach into his pockets. A sneer was all Duo could see on his face. "Dolohov." Grabbing the man's chin, the teen jerked his head to the side so he was looking him in the eyes. "I wondered when I would have the pleasure of seeing you again." The acid in his tone spoke otherwise. A hiss escaped the kid's lips as he released the man's chin. "I bet the dementors were too," he chuckled. "They'll be delighted to see you again, once I've destroyed your _master_." Coming to his feet again, Duo could only see the point of the stick light up as the boy spat, "_Obliviate_."

A choked sob echoed through the room, causing Duo's head to swivel in the direction of the small blonde hidden under the table adjacent to his. He saw Chuck-clad feet hurriedly make their way to the girl. The young man knelt down beside her table, taking on a whole other persona. "It's safe. You can come out now, honey." He extended a dirty hand to the girl. She shrunk away from him. "Please, I promise not to hurt you." Sincerity coloured his tone.

She slowly, reluctantly, crawled out from under the table—obviously realizing she would have to at one point or another—on the opposite side of the one he was on though. "Thank you," the teen murmured as he stood slowly, dropping his hand back to his side. Duo noticed that the stick was in his back pocket, hidden from the girl. He kept a close eye, ready to intervene if it came down to it.

The girl gulped, wringing her hands together in front of her apron. Duo had been a little surprised to find that she had been the only one working the small coffee shop, but thinking about the hour, he figured it was reasonable. _Fewer witnesses_, his mind told him. That would definitely play out well for the guy. "What was—" She was cut off by the boy muttering the same word at her, this time without the stick. She froze and a dazed look came across her face as she wobbled on her feet. The boy gently caught her and sat her down in a chair before sighing heavily.

He turned on his heels again. Duo sunk back farther under the table. "You. Come out." There was no hint of the sweet, entrancing boy who had just coaxed that scared lady out from under her table.

"Where's my 'honey'?" Duo sarcastically quipped as he scrambled out from under the table, left hand gripped tightly on the gun under his shirt. Previous aversions to using the gun be damned. He didn't know what this dude had planned, but he wasn't about to fall victim to the voodoo he had been working.

No response met his ears. Duo finally looked up at the guy's face. And there, covered under dirt, grime, blood, and that crazy mess of hair was none other than the one he had been searching the ends of the earth for.

Heero Yuy.

**A/N: Bum, bum, BUM! Anyway, reviews, oh how I love them! I am so excited to see so many people interested in this story. I'll try to keep you from waiting long, but sometimes things get in the way. Oh, and, CaramelAriana…that hot chocolate was in there for you:)**


	3. Chapter 2: Harry Potter

**Disclaimer: All rights go to their respective owners. No copyright infringement intended.**

**A/N: Special thanks to Noctisis Rrhagia, Yellowflash85, Zaidee, Cynthia Joy Finnegan, karone-sakura, xXxOtAkU-444xXx, candinaru25, Life's a dream, Mirianne, domsijohn, LilianaVess, and BlackShadows190 for reviewing! Also, thank you to everyone else who favourited and alerted this story! You are all amazing:)**

Chapter 2: Harry Potter

First instinct? Attack Heero for all the trouble he had put Duo through. Second instinct? "Okay," Duo kept his voice level as he spoke to Heero; no need to freak out on the guy and have him go all hocus-pocus on Duo's ass. He closed his eyes for just a second to calm himself, but quickly opened them again, not so sure he could trust Heero anymore. Not after witnessing _that. _"May I ask, what–"

"No. Now, be quiet and follow me." Heero knew Duo well. He needn't give any information; the young man's curiosity would get the better of him. It was unlike Duo to run when there was something of interest to him involved, despite the well-rehearsed introduction he always spout. Without even sparing a glance behind him, Heero strode forward, pulling the dark brown stick from his back pocket and gripping it tightly in his right hand, looking almost as if he wished to impale someone with it by the way he held it.

Blue eyes followed the messy-haired teen, a mixture of shock and curiosity clouding them. Duo couldn't decide whether to will his feet forward or back. His eyes refused to move from Heero's retreating form as he coached himself through breathing like Wufei had taught him to do. At the time he was being taught, Duo had thought it would be mumbo jumbo—there was no "special way of breathing"—but he was finding himself silently thanking Wufei, wherever his fellow pilot was, for teaching him such a magnificent skill.

Now for the more difficult part.

_Pros and cons, pros and cons?_

Why should he follow Heero?

Well, beside the fact that he had been hunting for Pilot 01 for the past seven months, the guy seemed to possess abilities beyond Duo's wildest dreams. Abilities that he _must_ have used during the war to accomplish all the impossible tasks he had faced. He really was some kind of superhuman…

But that was also a con.

Duo had thought Heero was scary before, now he was downright terrifying. He had no clue what the hell Heero would or _could_ do to him with just that stick that he seemed to believe possessed all the power in the universe.

But maybe he could show Duo how to utilize at least _some _of that power…

"Hey, Heero, wait up!" Duo called, one hand cupped around his mouth to amplify his words. He jogged through the back of the café, cutting through the kitchen until he found Heero. The cocky bastard was leaning against the wall by the back door, arms crossed over his chest (hand still gripping that damned stick), and a smug look plastered on his face. Duo halted his steps just a few feet away from Heero. "You knew I'd come, didn't you?"

Heero smirked, dusting some rubble off his shoulders. It slightly amused Duo to think about how much of a mess Heero always made in a fight. Sure, he got the job done (usually much better than any other could), but the guy seemed to be partial to blowing things up. "Curiosity killed the cat. But it's a good thing it has nine lives." With that he turned to the door, pushing it open and stepping out into the cold London morning. Duo was tempted to say something about Heero "speaking like a fortune cookie" _once again_, but decided to let it pass. He settled for walking alongside Heero, noting that his friend had hidden the stick up the arm of the jacket, which he had been thoughtful enough to pick up before leaving wherever he was currently staying, unlike Duo.

"Where are you staying?" Duo asked, glancing at his friend as they turned out of the alley and onto the bustling street. For three-thirty in the morning, a surprising amount of people were out and about. It reminded Duo slightly of the one time he been in New York City.

Heero acted as if nothing was out of the ordinary and slipped past people without seeming to care whenever he was bumped or shoved. He shrugged at Duo, not really giving an answer.

"Please say you're staying _somewhere_," Duo sighed, pulling his sleeves down over his hands.

A shake of the head.

"Heero," Duo chastised. He grabbed his comrade's jacket sleeve, making sure he avoided the one with the strange stick hidden in it.

Heero stalled, turning to face Duo. A tall woman huffed and shoved past them.

"Come with me," was all Duo said as he tugged Heero in the direction of the hotel he was staying at. Heero surprised Duo by obliging with no argument.

oOoOoOo

Duo flicked the light switch, dropping his key card on the kitchen counter. "Home sweet home," he muttered, adding a small, "For now" dismally. Making his way to his bedroom, Duo kicked off his shoes and snagged a thick hoodie. He walked back to the living room as he pulled the sweatshirt over his head. Duo said, "Feel free to take a seat anywhere you can find one."

He heard the pull-out couch's springs squeak as he finally managed to get the hoodie on right. Heero was situated at the far end of the hideously upholstered couch—seriously, just looking at the floral print almost made Duo gag. Heero had shed his jacket and draped it over the back of the couch. Duo quickly made his way across from Heero to the mismatched armchair. He leaned forward, elbows on his knees.

"So…care to tell me just what the hell happened back there?" he jabbed a thumb over his shoulder, as if Heero needed clarification on just where "there" was.

It was then that Duo could see just how tired Heero was. There were dark shadows not just under his eyes, but around them, giving him the look of a corpse. Add that with the way his cheekbones seemed to stick out, even with the slight scruff he had managed to grow and Heero looked on the verge of collapsing. If you looked at his eyes you could see so much. There was his lack of sleep, but also the look Duo knew so well. The look one only has when the weight of the world is on his shoulders. Duo had seen it in every one of the pilots' eyes in the past year, and he was sure he had had it in his eyes at one point or another as well. But it confused Duo now. The war was over. There was no reason for Heero to feel that way anymore.

Heero covered his face with his hand and sighed. Duo was almost tempted to let him off the hook, to let the guy at least get a full night's sleep before interrogating him. _ Almost_ being the keyword. "I hate to do this." The words were slightly muffled by Heero's hand, but Duo could make them out. Heero rubbed his hand on his face exasperatedly for a second. Then he reached behind him, pulling the polished stick out of his coat pocket. He looked down at it in his hands, studying it.

Duo gaped. "Seriously?" _Stupid question to ask Heero Yuy_, he reminded himself. Heero was _always_ serious. "No. I'm not going to let you do…whatever voodoo you've been working all night," he stood up, towering over Heero, "Not on me. No. I _will_ fight you if it comes down to it, Heero Yuy."

Heero cringed slightly at the name and the stick lowered a little from where it was aimed at Duo's chest. "I can't let you go." He paused, closing his eyes and gripping his hair, stick no longer facing Duo, much to Duo's relief. He was seriously tempted to let out a sigh, but managed to suppress it. "I can't let you go, not after witnessing that." It sounded more like Heero was attempting to convince himself rather than Duo.

Duo raised a disbelieving eyebrow at Heero, though he didn't see it. "After all we've been through, you still don't trust me with a secret?" he scoffed, rolling his eyes. Duo's eyebrows scrunched in just the slightest as he pushed the hurt feelings from the forefront of his mind. _You would think I would be used to it by now_, he thought. He received no response from Heero. "Yuy?" he grit out, patience wearing thin.

"Please," Heero hurriedly said. "Please, don't call me that." He opened his eyes. The way they looked up at Duo, pleading him with all of the hurt and anguish they held, it was no surprise that Duo nodded.

He plopped back down in the lumpy chair, falling back into the equally-lumpy cushions. "What d'ya wanna be called?" he asked, hoping he could get Heero talking with this and press on with the hocus-pocus stuff later.

Heero hesitated. It was almost as if he regretted asking Duo. After a moment he spoke up. "'Heero Yuy' was a codename. Doctor J and I thought it would be best to not go into the war with my real name. He didn't use his real name either. That war is over. I'd rather not be known as 'Heero Yuy' anymore." Duo nodded, prodding Heero forward. With a small, shuddering breath, Heero continued. "I…I think my real name is what I want to go by…but that could have terrible consequences for me…" he seemed to be muttering to himself, but Duo listened attentively, jumping at the chance to get inside Heero Yuy's mind.

"What's your real name?" Duo asked when Heero stopped speaking and started fiddling with the stick in his hands. Duo had never seen Heero look so much like a child.

Heero glanced up at Duo, stopping his hands. He stared at Duo for a while, judging whether he should tell the young man or not. Finally, he settled on a decision, bringing Duo much relief.

"Harry Potter. My name is Harry Potter."

Duo just nodded, he didn't see the whole reason for such a dramatic build up. "Harry Potter" wasn't the worst name someone could have (it actually had a good ring to it, to be honest). Duo didn't even want to think about _his_ real name. "That's a cool name," he said encouragingly.

Harry stood up quickly from the sofa, pacing the length of the living room. Duo leaned back further into the cushions. "But you don't get it, Duo. 'Harry Potter' is more than just a name. It's a symbol of deliverance and peace amongst my people. I…I don't know if I can deal with that pressure again." Harry's hands were in his hair again, pulling at the brunette mop tightly.

Duo didn't know how to reply. He sat, mouth open in a small "o" as his eyes followed Harry's pacing like a tennis match. "_A symbol of deliverance and peace"? "My people"? What's that supposed to mean?_

Harry continued talking, not even noticing Duo's shocked state. "I've trained since I was _ten_ for this. _Ten__! _I've helped end one war. Why can't I finish another? Why do I have to finish another? Why can't they get someone else? Why did he have to choose _me?_" Harry let out a low shout of anguish, kicking the leg of the sofa as he passed. Heero had never seemed this frazzled.

"Wait, wait, wait. Hold on a second. Did I hear you say _another war_?" Duo held up and hand to halt Harry's pacing.

Harry stopped, hands falling limply to his sides as he nodded and fell back onto the couch. "What am I going to do?" he asked.

Though it was more rhetorical than a real question, Duo supplied an answer. "Win." He said it as if it was the simplest thing in the world. "It'll be another 'mission accomplished' for you to add to your list of millions." He almost chuckled but thought better of it when he looked at Harry's face.

Harry began to shake his head, "It's not that simp–"

"Why not?" Duo asked, cocking an eyebrow and leaning forward. "It was that way with OZ." He couldn't hold back the laugh this time and chuckled darkly, "You can't tell me that you have a worse enemy than OZ in this war. No one can be as conniving and soulless as them."

Duo jumped at Harry's harsh laugh. "Oh he's soulless all right. That's what makes it so damn difficult!" Red sparks flew out of the end of the stick Harry was still holding. Duo jumped again.

"Please explain _that_ to me." He pointed a shaky finger at the small amount of smoke left behind by the sparks. On close inspection, Duo could see that even the smoke was red. That's not normal…

Harry almost laughed. "Magic."

Duo could only stare incredulously. Harry thought that those two simple sentences could explain it all? He really hadn't changed. At all. "Magic?"

"Yes, Duo. Magic. I'm a wizard. And this," he held up the stick, twirling it casually in his fingers, "is a wand." He sounded as if he was explaining something as easy as the answer to 2 + 2.

It made Duo want to pull his hair out. He settled for fiddling with the end of his absurdly long braid. He noted there were some split ends, _time for a haircut_. "Since when?"

A small smile crossed Harry's face. "Well this has been a wand since Ollivander made it who knows how long ago." Duo glared at him, earning a small laugh from Harry. "I've been a wizard since I was born. Wizardry isn't learned. You are born with magic blood and you learn to master it."

It was Duo's turn to stand up and pace. "You mean to say," he tugged at the end of his braid as he walked, picking at the split ends, probably just making more, "that magic exists? Like unicorns and pixies, witches and wizards? Does the damn Wizard of Oz exist too?"

Harry's strange blue eyes followed Duo with slight amusement. He really had missed the generally cheery pilot. "Yes. I haven't seen any unicorns for they are quite the shy creatures, but they exist. Pixies come in all shapes and sizes. Witches and wizards are everywhere. They just hide their magic from muggles like you."

Duo interjected, feeling like he'd just been insulted. "Muggle?" The word felt weird on his tongue, almost as if he was speaking a foreign language.

"A non-magical person," Harry reassured. "It's not an insult," he added, almost as if he could read Duo's mind.

"Hn," Duo hummed, continuing his pacing.

Harry watched for a moment. "I'm almost positive the Wizard of Oz doesn't exist." Duo halted, spinning on his heel to stare at Harry. Was he trying to make a joke? Trying to lighten the mood? The young man he knew would have just ignored such a ludicrous question… Harry just sighed. "You should sleep."

Duo threw his hands in the air. "Sleep? How do you expect me to sleep after you drop that bomb on me?" He turned to the kitchen, needing to do something to distract him from this newfound information. Snagging a clean glass from the cupboard, Duo filled the glass to the rim with ice cold water from the tap. Chugging it, he barely registered the cool feeling as it flowed down his throat. He almost dropped the glass when Harry spoke again, this time, right behind him. He'd almost forgotten how the kid moved like a ghost.

"Duo, you really should sleep."

The idea was so tempting, but Duo just huffed, turning around. "But I don't want to." His eyes widened when he saw Harry holding his wand level with this face.

"I'm sorry, Duo." Harry muttered a spell and Duo instantly collapsed into his arms.

oOoOoOo

Duo rolled over in his bed, throwing the covers over his head to shield his eyes from the bright light coming through the small slit in his curtains. He lay there for a moment, staring at the insides of his eyelids, listening to the hotel settling, the sounds of people and cars outside, the clicks of fingers on a keyboard…

Wait…the clicks of fingers on a keyboard?

Instantly he remembered Heero showing up last night. Though how he ended up asleep in his bed was a mystery to him. Duo slowly peeled the covers from his face, daringly attempting to face the offending sunlight. After a moment of adjusting, he squinted his eyes to look at the alarm clock on his nightstand. The glowing green numbers read: _4:37 pm_. Quietly stretching and relaxing when he heard a few pops sound from his back, Duo stood and tiptoed to the door, once again, avoiding the creaky floorboards. He peeked around the corner. His eyes found Heero almost instantly.

He was sitting in the same spot as last night, with his back to Duo. But now he had something on his lap. On closer inspection Duo deduced that it was his precious laptop. He had to suppress a snort at that. The man never went _anywhere_ without that thing. But Duo could feel his eyebrows furrow when he attempted to figure out where Heero had gotten the laptop from—Duo hadn't seen him carrying any bags with him… And there was no way that bulky laptop could fit in his pocket. Maybe it was more of that magic he had talked about that morning…?

Using his infamous stealth, Duo snuck closer to the messy haired teen. Peering over his shoulder, Duo could see he was reading an email.

_H,_

_Mum didn't send us to Hogwarts. _

Duo wondered what " Hogwarts" was. It sounded like a disease…

_She's acting as our professor this year. Though, Hermione is teaching the classes more than she is, to be honest. The girl knows EVERYTHING! I think Mum is even learning some things, though she won't admit it. She's been using this fancy spell I've never seen her use before. And guess what? Hermione just taught us it last week. Coincidence?_

_How's the Muggle world? Hermione tells me that a new agency was established after the war. Protectors or whatever. They're supposed to "keep the peace" or whatever. You think they could come help us out? _

_She also says that they still haven't caught the pilots. Those blokes must have invisibility cloaks or something._

Heero snorted at this. Under his breath he said, "Only one of them." Duo's eyebrows shot up as he wondered what exactly this "invisibility cloak" was and where in the world he could acquire one.

_When do you think we'll see you again? Hermione would really like to meet you, in person. I know you can't give specific dates or places, but just a generalization? It's been years since we saw you, even by the Floo. Mum's worried sick, but, then again, what's new?_

_R_

_P.S. Please say we'll see you soon; Hermione's and Mum's lessons are driving me mad!_

_P.S.S. Your little admirer says hi as well._

Heero clicked "reply," and Duo, being Duo, didn't have the patience to wait for Heero to type out his response. "Who's 'R'?" he asked the most obvious question even though about twenty more were running through his head. Especially who his friend's "little admirer" was.

Instantly, Heero froze up. His fingers stopped clicking on the keys—only _R,_ was on the page. Duo could have slapped himself. He was never going to get an answer out of Heero now. He had found out the hard way that Heero absolutely hated people being anywhere near his beloved laptop. And he despised people reading over his shoulder. But, unlike what Duo expected him to do, which was to slam the laptop shut and refuse to speak, Heero surprised him.

"Ron." Just one word, but it meant so much to Duo. Granted, Duo had no clue who this Ron character was, but Heero hadn't shut him out! That was a miracle in itself. _Trust. He trusts me_, Duo thought with a small smile.

Feigning nonchalance, Duo ambled to the kitchen to grab some cereal, muttering a small, "Oh," as if that explained everything. He almost spilled the box of Cheerios everywhere when Heero spoke up.

"He's a childhood friend."

Duo's eyes went wide. For some reason, it had escaped him that even the infamous Heero Yuy had a childhood. That he had friends, family. The thought had never crossed Duo's mind. He coughed and picked up the few pieces of cereal that had spilled over the counter before saying, "It's good that you still talk to him." Small talk. Duo and Heero were making small talk. Another thing Duo had thought Heero was absolutely incapable of doing.

"He's my only link to my past, besides Ab," Heero murmured. Duo wasn't sure if that was meant to reach his ears or not. He pretended it didn't. But then a thought occurred to him.

"Heero, how did I fall asleep last night?" he asked, taking his bowl and spoon to the living room to sit in the armchair once again. He tucked his feet underneath him as he chewed a spoonful of the sweet cereal.

Heero glanced up at Duo, a glare on his face. "I told you not to call me that."

Duo blinked before realizing his mistake. He swallowed his food before speaking. "Oh! Oops, sorry." He paused, scratching the back of his neck. "That's going to take some getting used to…"

**A/N: The spell Harry/Heero used to put Duo to sleep was the Bewitched Sleep Spell. It's on Harry Potter wiki, I did not make it up.**

**Okay, so, I know the name switch was confusing. Believe me, it was a little confusing to write. Even when I was revising this chapter, I kept reading "Heero" instead of "Harry". In later chapters, he's just going to be referred to as "Harry", except maybe in dialogue. That should make it a little easier…I think… **

**Oh, and don't kill me for saying "Harry's blue eyes". I have reasoning behind that, which will be unveiled in the next chapter. Anyways, I hope you like it. Personally, I love reviews, but maybe that's just me. If there's anything that needs clarifications, just ask. I can't always promise an answer, but I will try:)**


	4. Chapter 3: The Burrow

**Disclaimer: All rights go to their respective owners. No copyright infringement intended.**

**A/N: Special thanks to domsijohn, One More Disaster, Wolf-With-The-Red-Roses, karone-sakura, Mirianne, xXxOtAkU-444xXx, Life's a dream, and my anonymous reviewer Wraith! And thanks to all whom favourited and added this to their alerts list! You all keep me going.**

Chapter Three: The Burrow

Harry had disappeared into the bathroom with a small knapsack, which Duo hadn't remembered seeing before, in hand. After typing out a message in a matter of seconds, he had instructed Duo to pack up when he was done with his late breakfast, leaving no room for discussion as he closed the bathroom door. Duo didn't really care too much—he was used to Harry giving out orders—but he really just wanted to ask more questions, not pack to go on some trip into the unknown. Curiosity would be the death of Duo, he knew it.

After rinsing out his bowl in the sink, Duo headed to the bedroom to pack what few belongings he had with him. He pulled the small, black duffel bag from the almost equally small closet. Duo folded his clothes neatly, stacking them in little piles beside his bag. He didn't rush. He didn't see any reason to; Harry was taking long enough in the bathroom as it was. Absentmindedly, Duo glanced towards the closed bathroom door, wondering what could be taking the young man so long. Harry had never come across as one to really care about appearance, especially considering what he wore for the past year. Duo shuddered at the thought. Spandex should have never been invented, in his opinion. At least, not for men. _Maybe he's trying to brush his hair._ Duo sniggered behind his hand at the thought—nothing could ever tame that boy's wild mane.

He folded his last shirt, placing it atop the few other pairs of clothing he had. He moved to the nightstand, opening the first drawer. In there were some of his favourite weapons as well as a few prized possessions. His fingers rested on the black hat he hadn't worn in forever. He remembered when Solo had stolen it for him for Christmas. Letting out a deep breath, he placed it atop the stack as well, rubbing his fingers over the material.

A few moments later, Harry stepped out of the bathroom. Harry jumped slightly, not knowing Duo had moved into the bedroom. He kept his head down, trying to hide behind his hair. But Duo saw it.

He stood from his crouched position by the nightstand. "Are those glasses?" he asked, a pucker forming between his eyebrows as he tried to get a better view.

Harry sighed quietly, lifting his head so his eyes were level with Duo's. Duo gasped, taking a small step back, bumping into the nightstand. "I have terrible eyesight," Harry stated plainly, but Duo could see Harry's eyes dart away from Duo's prying ones.

Duo took a step closer this time. His hand reached up of its own accord, pointing at Harry's eyes curiously. "What happened to your eyes?" he asked, ignoring the glasses and staring at what was behind them.

Rubbing the back of his neck, Harry glanced back up at Duo. "I took my contacts out?" he tried. He turned to walk back to the living room, acting as if that was that.

"Whoa, whoa, whoa," Duo grabbed the sleeve of Harry's blue t-shirt. "Contacts?" he asked with a raised brow once Harry had reluctantly turned around.

"I altered my appearance to become a pilot. My glasses and eyes are trademarks. Ab thought glasses would be impractical." Harry was quite happy that Duo didn't point out how he "had his mother's eyes" like practically everyone else he had ever met had done. He also didn't see any reason in showing Duo his _other_ trademark. He didn't want to have to answer any more questions than he needed to at the moment.

"This is going to take some getting used to." Duo looked at Harry's eyes again, releasing his hold on his shirt. "_A lot_ of getting used to," he muttered before continuing packing the last few things he had. Harry left to the living room, leaving Duo to mull over the transformation his friend had just gone through. Not only his looks had changed, but his clothing choice (though Duo couldn't argue with Harry's decision to ditch the spandex), and his personality. Harry was much more open, and a lot more verbal than Heero had been; Duo didn't have to speak Gruntenese to communicate with him anymore. Though he still held things back, he was much easier to get along with. Duo almost missed the way his comrade used to be. Then he recognized something else that had changed. "Hey!" he called, walking into the living room, hand in his hair.

Harry was on his laptop again, but had the sense to have turned away from Duo's prying eyes. _He's always been a fast learner…_ "Hmm?"

"Where in the world did that accent come from?" Duo asked, brushing his bangs out of his blue eyes.

The bright green eyes Duo was still shocked to see didn't leave the computer screen. "From Britain. That's why they call it a 'British accent', mate."

Duo gaped like a fish. Did Harry just call him "mate"? He gauged Harry's reaction, seeing that he was almost as surprised as Duo, but he was trying to hide it. _And where in the hell did he get off being so sarcastically humorous?_ Duo thought. That was Duo's thing! "Thank you, smart ass. Why do you have one? You didn't have it as a pilot." He rolled his eyes, placing his hands on his hips.

Harry smirked. "Yet another way to blend in. This is my natural accent."

Duo thought for a minute. He wondered what else Harry was hiding from him, how much of his comrade "Heero" was really just a lie built up for survival. He shook his head to expel those thoughts. "Now you match Trowa, though yours is a mix between British and L1," he muttered, feeling like he had to say something.

Harry just laughed. Duo headed back in his room to finish packing, Harry's chuckles following him.

oOoOoOo

"All you have to do is take my arm," Harry instructed, attempting to keep his nervousness out of his voice. He hadn't done side-along disapparation in a long time. The last time he had done it was with Aberforth many years ago, in training. He didn't like the thought of being splinched or splinching Duo.

He took calming breaths as he packed Duo's duffle bag into his small knapsack. He absentmindedly explained the Undetectable Extension Charm that had been placed on the bag. All he received was a "wow", to which he had to suppress a grin at. Duo was like a kid in a candy store whenever he learned something new, with magic being no exception.

"You never answered my question," Duo stalled when Harry finally held out his arm to him.

Harry gave Duo a sidelong glance. "Hmm?" he asked.

"How did I fall asleep last night?" Duo asked, raising an eyebrow.

Clearing his throat, Harry replied nonchalantly, "Bewitched Sleep Spell." When Duo's eyes grew wide, Harry quickly attempted to justify his actions. "You weren't cooperating. And you really needed sleep."

Duo just shook his head. "Don't do it again." His tone was level and deadly, a skill he had picked up from Harry over the past year. He stared right into Harry's frighteningly green eyes, making sure his point got across.

Harry swallowed thickly. "I won't," he promised, returning Duo's gaze with just as much intensity. _Unless there's an emergency_, Harry added silently to himself. He refused to even think about not helping Duo with his magic and watching harm befall him.

Duo grabbed Harry's arm. Harry heard him mumble, "Might as well get it over with…" He really wondered when the braided young man would ever learn that there was no need to voice every thought that occurred to him. "Why am I doing this?" he asked, half-heartedly glaring down at Harry. Harry really hated how quickly Duo had grown over the past seven months. Regardless of the two-year age difference, Duo still towered over him. Harry thought Duo might even compete with Trowa now for the title of "tallest of the group".

"We are going to disapparate." At Duo's blank look, Harry sighed. It was sometimes hard to remember that not all people knew wizard jargon. "Simply? We are going to disappear and reappear somewhere else."

Duo blinked rapidly. "Where?" Harry could tell he was thinking about jerking his hand away from Harry's arm, it even twitched away of its own accord, but Duo made sure to keep his hand on Harry. His curiosity was getting the better of him, yet again.

A small smile graced Harry's lips. "The Burrow. My home." What few memories he had of the rickety, old house swam before his eyes at the mere mention. When he was first allowed to ride on a broom in the backyard, whizzing past everyone and reveling in the freedom he felt gliding through the air. Ron and him playing Wizard's Chess numerous times up in their room on the top floor. Even the dreaded day Fred and George had thought it would be absolutely hilarious to transfigure Ron's teddy bear into a spider. Yeah, Harry had never recovered from that one when the thing leapt from Ron to him. Spiders were his one true fear. Blow up a Gundam while inside it? Sure, why not. But spiders? Oh hell no. And yet, he couldn't wait to be back. Now, if only Duo would quiet and let him concentrate…

"Does it hurt?" Duo asked in a whisper, eyes trained on Harry's face, searching for any sign of deception or sugar-coating. He seemed to tremble a bit, his grip tightening on Harry's arm.

Harry hadn't been expecting this. Duo had always been the one out of the five pilots to dive into something head first, seemingly not thinking of the possible repercussions. But at least in the war Duo had known what was possible, what secrets there were and what could physically occur. But in the magical world? Duo had no information whatsoever. Harry hadn't even really offered him much information this morning. He decided to be completely honest with Duo.

"If you get splinched, yes. There can be some nausea involved and it will feel a little uncomfortable, but otherwise it doesn't hurt." Duo's face paled a few shades. Harry grabbed his friend's shoulder with his free hand. Looking straight into Duo's eyes he said, "I won't let you get hurt." Duo nodded, taking a deep breath.

"Let's do it." He seemed to steel himself, standing taller and closing his eyes. His grip on Harry's arm tightened.

"Don't let go." Before Duo could change his mind, Harry quickly disapparated with a small pop. Moments later, the two were standing in front of a towering building. Harry felt his neck pop as he looked all the way up to the top of the house where he knew Ron probably was, holing himself away from his mother and Hermione to avoid schoolwork. He smiled at the thought. A sharp pain of nails digging into flesh brought his attention back to terrified braided friend. "We're here."

Blue eyes slowly opened, taking in his surroundings, making sure he was actually on the ground. Duo's teeth were gritted so hard, Harry almost worried that his teeth would shatter in his mouth. He released Harry's arm with a huge sigh, running a hand through his bangs, unintentionally mussing them up. "Can we just drive next time?" he asked, looking a sickly shade of green as he bent over and rested his hands on his knees. Harry chuckled, shaking his head good naturedly at his friend.

He took a step forward to check on him when the scarred front door swung open, its creak echoing across the property. "May I help you?" a red haired man in a suit asked, looking slightly perturbed.

Harry raised an eyebrow at the man's garb. "Nice to see you too, Perc," he said. The redhead's eyes went wide and he disappeared back inside. "You might want to stand back a little," Harry said quickly from the side of his mouth. His eyes were trained on the empty doorway in anticipation. His smirk was morphing into a smile already.

Duo was about to ask why he should move when another redhead, one much taller, came barreling towards them. He stood up straight and jumped to the right, giving Harry a wide berth. The redhead shouted, "HARRY!" as he practically ran the poor guy into the ground. Ron and Harry fell to the ground in a heap. Chuckles could be heard from the two as they wrestled on the dirt road, causing a small cloud to swirl up around them. They sounded like the children they really were, laughing and playing like nothing was wrong in the world. Duo took a small step back, still frightened by this side of Harry.

Harry finally won the wrestling match, not to Duo's surprise. He had the redhead pinned to the road, sitting on his chest. He laughed at how Ron was practically panting for air when Harry, himself, hadn't even broken a sweat. He really wished he could thank Ab for his training. Harry stood up, holding a hand out to the worn out teen. He pulled him up and, without a giving the redhead a second to compose himself, Harry threw his arms around him. The hug was tight; the hug of two people who hadn't seen each other in years, who hadn't really believed the other was alive.

Ron let loose a shaky laugh. "You've never beaten me."

Harry's smile looked like it was about to crack his face in half. "You scared, Ron?" he teased, reaching up high to muss up the now-dirty, red hair.

Ron stepped back, raising a challenging eyebrow at Harry. "Oh you're on." He crouched down, looking ready to pounce on Harry again.

"Now don't hog him." Harry, Ron, and Duo turned to see the twins smirking. Harry instantly ran to them, throwing one arm around each, pulling them close. "Since when did you get so touchy?" one asked, returning the hug nonetheless. Duo was silently thinking the same thing as he watched with rapt attention. It was like watching a wild animal in its natural environment, they acted completely different than in captivity; you never knew what was in store.

Harry pulled back, a false frown on his lips. "Oh, shut it," he rolled his eyes at the pair, crossing his arms. Fred ruffled the shorter boy's hair, causing it to fall into his eyes even more.

A weight was suddenly on Harry's back, arms wrapped around his neck. Instinct took over. Looking back on it, he guessed he would never really grow out of it, being on the defensive twenty-four/seven. He twisted around so he was on top of his attacker with their arms held down beside their head. Harry used his weight to hold them still, expecting thrashing. But the person beneath him was still. Confused, he pushed the adrenaline fog from his mind to see who it was. The slight panic he had felt doubled when he saw who had attacked him. "Ginny. Hey." His eyes widened behind his slightly crooked glasses as he realized he still had her pinned to the ground. He stood quickly, face turning almost as deep of a red as her hair, and offered her a hand up.

She smiled, grabbing him in a hug once she was standing upright again. "I missed you," she tiptoed to whisper in his ear, her breath tickling his neck.

Harry returned the hug and pulled away quickly. He was rubbing the back of his head when he heard the woman who had raised him come stumbling outside. "Harry!" She scooped him up in a hug; her head only came to his chest as she squeezed him. He was absentmindedly glad that not everyone towered over him. She then held him at arms' length to inspect him. "What have you been doing? Starving yourself?"

Her eyes focused on something behind him. Harry turned his head to see her gaze had landed on Duo. Instantly, she took him under wing. She turned her brown eyes that matched her daughter's back to Harry. "Have you been starving him too?" She missed the small cringe from Duo. Harry shot him a look of sympathy, knowing he was probably thinking of his years when he had _really_ been starving. "Inside, both of you. I was just cooking dinner." She quickly ushered them in, leaving no room for discussion. As she prepared the food she asked Duo his name.

"Duo Maxwell, ma'am." His eyes watched her as she flitted around the room, flicking her wand at random things, making them cook with her. Duo's elbows were on the table as he leaned forward in awe. Harry was almost giddy that his friend hadn't spilled the normal introduction he gave.

"We really aren't hungry, Mum," Harry said, relaxing back in his chair as the rest of the Weasleys flooded the room, taking their own seats. Ginny and Ron fought for the seat beside Harry that Duo wasn't occupying. Hermione sat as far from Duo as she could, a fearful glint in her brown eyes. The twins plopped down next to Duo, finding his excitement over magic a little humorous. Percy had disappeared after giving Harry a quick hug, mumbling about work.

Duo's eyes moved from the knife that was chopping up an assortment of fruits to the sponge scrubbing the pots and pans in the kitchen sink to the spoon stirring a giant pot of soup without any help. He was so not going to get used to this anytime soon.

Mrs. Weasley ignored Harry with a simple "Nonsense!" while she added more of everything so that there would be enough for two more people. She continued making an absurd amount of food, no doubt expecting them to eat every last morsel. Even without the recently added portions, there would have been plenty of food to go around, in Harry's opinion.

Ron glared at Ginny in her seat beside Harry. "So, where have you been, Harry?" Ron asked, leaning towards Harry from across the table, tearing his eyes away from Ginny after a few moments.

Harry seemed to sink down a little in his chair at all the attention, but otherwise seemed right at home. "If I told you that, I'd have to kill you," he said seriously, sounding more like Heero Yuy than Duo had heard in the past day. It was a comfort to Duo.

He choked back a chortle, muttering, "You can say that again."

Ron gave him an odd look. "You look a little familiar," he pondered, then moved his blue eyes to Harry, "Who's he?" he asked, though Duo was fully capable of introducing himself.

He stuck a hand out to the tall redhead. "I'm Duo, Duo Maxwell. I might run and hide, but I never tell a lie. That's me in a nutshell." Harry had to suppress a groan. Not that bloody introduction again! He let his head thud on the table in exasperation.

Out of his peripheral, he could see Hermione looking ready to stop the Ron and Duo from shaking when Ron reluctantly took the braided youth's hand. The shake lasted only a second. Harry saw Hermione let out the breath she had been holding. He found it strange, her actions, but brushed it aside; he didn't even know the girl, really, this could be how she normally acted. All he knew pertaining to her was relayed to him by Ron, so who knew how distorted it was.

Ginny pulled his attention away from the odd exchange. She ruffled his hair as she asked, "How long are you staying?"

Harry tilted his head so he could see Ginny better, though his eyes refused to meet hers as he spoke. "I don't know. I just wanted to see you all, and it was finally safe enough to do it." He saw a small smile breakout on her face and he couldn't help the same thing from happening to him. Now he remembered why he always defended her when Ron was rude.

Mrs. Weasley set two full plates on the table in front of Duo and Harry. She announced that everyone else could make their own plates. Ron and the twins stood up, shoving each other playfully as their made their way to the food. Mrs. Weasley took Ron's previously occupied seat. "Eat up," she said with a motherly smile. "So, Duo, is it?" she waited for his nod before continuing, not even commenting on the odd name. "How did you meet Harry?"

Duo and Harry almost choked on their food. Harry let out a breathy laugh. He put his fork down, running his hand through his hair. "Erm, that's kind of a long story," Duo offered, stuffing another forkful of food into his mouth, silently telling Harry he didn't know what to say. Harry gave him a meaningful look before turning back to Mrs. Weasley.

"Duo and I met under…strange circumstances. He and I shared a secret; we formed a sort of camaraderie from that." There was no way Harry was going to tell her that when they first met, Duo had shot him. Not once. But twice. And yet, they had formed the strongest camaraderie out of all the pilots. His hands fell in his lap when he noticed Hermione listening with rapt attention. She knew something…

Mrs. Weasley's eyes seemed to light up. "You're a wizard too?" she asked.

Harry could tell by the look on Duo's face that he had no clue how much to let on. Harry decided to take the reins again. "No, Mum. Duo's a muggle."

A pucker formed between Mrs. Weasley's orange eyebrows. Harry didn't want to tell his surrogate family his secret. He didn't want them throwing him out, forgetting him forever because of what he had done. He had killed, murdered in cold blood even. Sure, he had had a hand in ending a major war, but he feared the bad would overshadow the good by a long shot. But he didn't want to lie to them even more. Maybe Duo was rubbing off on him, but Harry was done with lying, at least, to those he cared for.

Before Harry could admit anything, Hermione let out a small gasp. "You're one of them."

Harry slowly moved his gaze from Mrs. Weasley to the frizzy haired brunette. Her hands were shaking around her teacup, the tea getting dangerously close to sloshing out onto the table. Her eyes were those of a doe—wide, innocent and terrified. Harry cleared his throat, not sure if he was really ready for this. "Pardon?" he asked, stalling and hoping she was mistaken.

She set her teacup down, some tea finally spilling out on the table. Everyone surrounding the table was staring at her now, most, in confusion. Even the twins and Ron had stopped eating to see what she had to say, Ron's fork hovering between his plate and mouth. "The pilots." Her words were soft as a whispering breeze, but the whole room heard them.

Harry could only think the same thing Duo muttered under his breath.

_Shit._

**A/N: So, a few questions were answered in this chapter. A lot more will be answered in the next chapter, just so you know. Oh, and yes, Trowa has a British accent. Doesn't it just make him a million times better? ;) ¡REVISAR, POR FAVOR! Me gusta ****críticas. ****:D**


	5. Chapter 4: Stories

**Disclaimer: All rights go to their respective owners. No copyright infringement intended.**

**A/N: Special thanks to all who reviewed, favourited, and alerted. I'm sorry it took **_**forever**_**, as all of us authors say when we seemingly abandon our stories. This chapter was just giving me utter hell. I knew exactly what I wanted to write, but couldn't get it to flow correctly. Sigh, what a hard life we authors lead. Haha. Oh, and, you know how in chapter two, Harry said he had trained since he was seven, well I changed it to ten...it just works better, trust me.**

**And a special thanks to firesage101 for reminding me to get my butt in gear and continue this story. You're a lifesaver! This chapter's for you! (Even though it still took a long while after you messaged me…)**

Chapter 4: Stories

It was a scene out of an ancient western film—neither Harry nor Hermione moved. Their eyes were locked with each others, green never releasing brown. But, instead of being narrowed in challenge, both pairs of eyes were wide with fear. Harry gripped the edge of his seat, his mind whirring, trying to find a way out. He needed to construct an escape; there had to be an escape. This was not how he had wanted his family to learn about his life. He wasn't even sure he wanted them to find out at all. Harry had learned to keep secrets well; he was convinced he could have kept it from them until he stepped into his grave.

But the bushy-haired Hermione had to ruin that.

"What are you going on about?" Ron asked, slowly setting his fork back on his plate. His blue eyes flicked between Harry and Hermione's stony faces in an almost annoyed fashion.

Ron's voice was, apparently, enough to pull Hermione out of her petrified state. She pushed her chair back from the table, scuttling out of it and backing away from Harry. The green-eyed wizard tried to speak but she quickly shouted, "You're murderers! You-you've destroyed whole towns. You've killed so many people. Innocent people. Defenseless people." Her back bumped into the cluttered kitchen counter. Brown eyes flicked behind the girl, discovering she had quite literally walked herself into a corner. Her right hand started clenching and unclenching, obviously wanting her wand.

Harry could see in her eyes that she was calculating an escape plan already, much like he had been mere moments ago. He had to admit, he was a little impressed with the girl. The 01 pilot stood from the table, brushing Ginny and Duo off when they tried to get him to sit back down. The rest of the people present were silent. Even Percy, who had come down the stairs at Hermione's screams; he poked his head in the room from around the corner. Harry rounded the table, intent on trying to stop the brunette. "Hermione," Harry tried, the foreign name tasting bizarre rolling off his tongue. He saw her small frame cringe. "Please," Harry tried again, but the word sounded cold, even to his ears; his panic was controlling him.

Her arms moved up to shield her face from him. "Please. Please don't kill me. I won't tell anyone. I-I'll leave. Just don't kill me." Harry's heart sank at the words. She didn't even know him and yet she feared him more than anything in the world.

He stopped walking, casting his eyes downward. He raked a hand through his hair as he tried to think of the words to say. A whole year of putting up a stolid façade had really messed with his once genial personality. He remembered times when Mrs. Weasley hadn't been able to shut him up; now it was a hardship just to find the words he needed. He pulled at his hair, his shoulders slumping. But was she right? Was he just a murderer? A person who went around killing when told to, without even thinking of the ramifications?

"Heero," Duo started tentatively, rising from his spot at the table. Harry cringed.

Hermione gasped, a sob wracking her frame. "01?" she said. It sounded almost as if she didn't want to believe it.

Harry ignored Duo. "Listen to me," he pleaded, taking a small step towards her. He kept his hands at his sides, palms open—a discreet sign of peace. He only hoped Hermione caught it.

She didn't.

At his minor advance, she instantly tensed to run. Harry could see her muscles flex and her eyes dart to the doorway out of the kitchen. "I won't hurt you," Harry said. Three things happened in the next instant: Duo's chair scrapped the hardwood ear-splittingly as Harry reached out to Hermione, but it was a fruitless action, for, as soon as she saw the movement, Hermione was a blur of frizzy hair running out the kitchen door and storming up the rickety stairs. Harry wanted to go after her. Regardless of the stolid façade he had played with for the past year, he really did care what people thought of him.

At least, when it was untrue. He wasn't just a murderer. Neither was Duo.

Or were they?

Harry tossed a glance to Duo, to which the braided young man shook his head. "It'll be worse if you go." His statement was punctuated by the slamming of a door up the long, winding stairs of the Weasley home. Harry's head hung in shame.

Duo slowly made his way to Harry. Harry watched his comrade closely, wary of what Duo might do—the guy had a knack for doing just the opposite of what Harry wanted. As the braided pilot passed behind Ginny's chair, Harry saw Ginny touch Duo's arm, almost encouragingly. Green eyes narrowed ever so slightly behind round glasses.

"Calm down," Duo said to Harry, hands held out just slightly in front of him like Harry had with Hermione, signaling that he wasn't going to try anything, yet. The pilots had made the signal very early on, after all the unnecessary violence that had gone on between the five from misunderstandings. Seeing it made Harry's muscles relax just a fraction. He leveled his gaze with Duo's as he tried to stop his hands from shaking more. His Heero persona was taking a toll on him—Harry's emotions crashed over him like a tsunami tide when his guard was down. He didn't know what to do with them most of the time now.

Harry pulled at his hair. "Dammit! I can't do anything right!" he grit through his teeth, punctuating it with a wild sound somewhere between a cry and a growl. Harry saw Ginny move to stand from her spot at the table. Duo quickly motioned for her to stay, throwing her a small warning glance. Harry's eyes closed tight, he pulled at his hair again, attempting to concentrate on calming down. A minute later, Duo's hand landed on his shoulder.

"Hey," Duo murmured close to Harry's ear. "You don't have to tell them," Harry almost burst out with an argument, but Duo's hand tightened on his arm, bringing him closer to reality. "I can tell them for you."

The messy-haired young man shook his head, to clear it and in answer to Duo's offer. "I'll do it," he said, though all he wanted to do was run. Harry had never wanted his family to know. _Ever._

Harry felt Duo lean closer to him, but whatever the young man had been about to say was cut off by the back door scraping open. "I swear, I would quit if we didn't need the–" Mr. Weasley's sentence halted as he turned to face the scene in the kitchen. "What is going on?" he asked, eyes landing on the pair of pilots standing in the center of the room.

Silence.

Harry doubted anyone knew what was truly going on. He heaved a sigh. "Hey, Dad," he said, peering around Duo, his voice tight.

Mr. Weasley's red eyebrows disappeared into his receding hairline. "Harry?" He leaned forward as if to get a better look. "Harry!" he shouted, striding over to his surrogate son. Warm arms enveloped Harry, but the former pilot didn't react. The redheaded man quickly caught on, stepping back and holding Harry at arms' length. "What is it, son?"

Duo leaned down, whispering in Harry's ear, "I think we should tell them now." Harry peeked up, ready to protest, but Duo shut him down, "There's no way around it now."

Harry sighed, knowing his friend spoke the truth. He picked up his head, squared his shoulders and looked into the questioning eyes of his proxy family. "There's something I need to tell you."

oOoOoOo

To say the Weasley's living room was packed would be an understatement. Molly, Arthur, and Percy claimed the couch. After briefly checking on Hermione, Ginny perched herself atop the coffee table, much to Molly's displeasure. The twins took to sitting in the two adjacent armchairs, pulling them closer so they could whisper to one another. Ron kept back, leaning against the open doorframe that led to the kitchen, listening from the shadows.

Before them all, Harry paced in front of the roaring fireplace, eyes on the ground. He could feel Duo standing near him, blue eyes following his anxious movements, but Harry couldn't stop his pacing. What was he to say? How to start? He couldn't just jump in and say he was a Gundam pilot. That would blow the already flimsy roof off the house. There would be no doubt that his family would no longer accept him if he started off that way. This conversation needed to be gradual. But where the bloody hell to start?

Two firm hands landed on his shoulders, halting him from making a rut in the wooden floor. "Harry," the speaker paused, waiting for green eyes to look up. Harry reluctantly obliged, meeting Duo's gaze. "Breathe." The shorter boy pulled in a deep breath, closed his eyes, and released it. "Good," Duo whispered, leaning closer to Harry's ear. "Now, start from the beginning," he coached, letting go of his comrade's shoulders.

"But what if they hate me?" Harry muttered, seeming far younger than he was.

Duo's expression registered shock, but he quickly schooled it. "They're your family; they'll love you no matter what."

"But what if they don't?" Harry asked, his eyes wide.

Frustration clouded Duo's eyes. "Why can't you accept that they care about you?" Duo asked.

"'We accept the love we think we deserve.'"

"Harry," he warned.

"I know they care for me, for reasons beyond me, mind you. But I know it. I know that they won't after they know, though." Harry was shaking now, the anxiety getting the better of him.

Duo pinched the bridge of his nose. "Man, how can you be so ignorant? Love never fades. Real love doesn't. It may sound sappy, but I still feel Solo's, and Father Maxwell's, and Sister Helen's. They would still love me, regardless of how many sins I've committed. The same goes for you and your family. Deal with it." Duo pushed Harry in the direction of his family, not allowing another argument to pass Harry's lips.

The green-eyed one turned to his family, seeing that every eye was on him. His breathing hitched again. His eyes shut behind the wire frames. Warmth enveloped his hand and Harry's gaze immediately opened. Ginny didn't wear a smile, but encouragement shone in her eyes. There was something else, something Harry couldn't name. He wanted to look closer, but the shuffling of Duo's feet behind him made him draw back.

"I know you all are confused," Harry started, tearing his eyes from Ginny and dropping her hand. He had expected a snort or sarcastic comment from one of the twins, but nothing came. Harry swallowed the lump in his throat. "But I…" he stopped. How was he going to say it?

"Start from the beginning," Ginny whispered from in front of him, unknowingly reiterating Duo's advice.

With a heavy breath, Harry dove into the story. "Nine years ago, Albus Dumbledore came here." Harry received various nods from around the room. "He claimed that Voldemort," Percy, Ron, and Molly cringed, "was on the rise and I was at risk. We met up with the headmaster's younger brother, Aberforth, in a small village called 'Hogsmeade.' Ab was to take me to the L1 colony cluster and guard me with his life." A small smile graced Harry's lips as he thought of the years he spent with Ab.

"Everything went smoothly for the first year; Ab taught me magic at an accelerated pace, alongside basic Muggle education." The smile slowly fell from Harry's face, the blush leaving his cheeks. "But he started getting wrapped up in colony-Earth relations. He and four others created five mobile suits," at the blank look from a few of his family members, Harry elaborated, making a mental note to refrain from using too much jargon, "—fighting machines manned by pilots—to be sent to the Earth. These suits—the Gundams—and their pilots were to bring peace to the colonies and Earth." Harry paused, scuffing his Chucks against the floor.

"But Ab didn't have a pilot," he finally said, his next words coming out in a rush as each of his family member's eyes widened when they started to put two and two together. "I was anxious. I wanted to do something, to fight." _Naïve_, Harry thought with a sneer. Oh how he wished he didn't have to fight now.

"Ab saw an opportunity. He trusted me and I was a wizard; my magic would give the colonies a way to one-up the Earth. Why not me? So, I received militaristic training too.

"Last year, I came to Earth, alongside four other pilots—whom I had no clue existed." Harry paused, not knowing if he should say any more.

"I'm a Gundam pilot. I've killed people," Harry's voice lowered subconsciously, afraid of his family's reactions. "I'm not the Harry I was nine years ago. In fact, I haven't gone by the name Harry Potter in a year. My codename was Heero Yuy. That's who I was…and I understand if you don't want me here anymore," Harry concluded, gazing at his dirty sneakers. He didn't want to see the looks of sheer disgust and horror on their faces. He didn't want to see the pain in their eyes. He didn't want to see, period.

Silence.

No one spoke. Harry couldn't even tell if anyone was breathing other than himself. This was definitely not the reaction he wanted; he hadn't wanted to scare them. But he knew it would happen. He started to turn to Duo, ready to take his hand and apparate away from his childhood home.

The last thing he was expecting was a hug from Arthur. The older wizard wrapped his arms tightly around his surrogate son, burying his face in the young man's shoulder. "I don't care what you did or what you will do. You are still my son, Harry. I will love you unconditionally," he murmured low enough for only Harry to hear, though Harry had a sneaking suspicion that Duo might be able to as well. The braided boy stepped away, slinking back into the shadows to let the family react. Harry was grateful for it.

He returned Arthur's hug with just as much strength. Surprise registered in Harry's mind when he realized that his vision was blurring from water welling in his eyes. When was the last time he had cried? Harry quickly blinked away the moisture, still hugging Arthur. "Thank you," he whispered. If Arthur noticed how Harry's voice cracked, he didn't show it.

Another pair of arms were wrapped around Harry then, these much lower. Harry peeked over his shoulder to see Molly hugging him tightly around the middle. She didn't utter a word, most uncharacteristically. But she was there, that was all that mattered to Harry. Ginny soon joined in, resulting in Harry being squashed in the middle of a group hug. Though he was tense and this was most abnormal for him, he welcomed the loving action from all three.

Later, when the hug finally ended, Harry could feel two sets of identical eyes on him. He slowly looked up, not ready for rejection. He knew they hadn't joined the hug, and that scared him. But twin grins could be seen plastered on the boys' freckled faces. They sprung on him like predators to prey, not allowing him any escape.

"I never pinned you as a military man," Fred said.

"Maybe a pro Quidditch player, but never this," George followed.

"This is wicked," they both admitted in unison. The laugh that passed Harry's lips was one of unadulterated happiness; his family didn't hate him. They still loved him. Hell, the twins thought it was cool. Harry wasn't even upset when they twins ruffled his hair, asking him a multitude of questions about his time as a pilot. Though he answered a few, Harry swiftly dodged the rest, not willing to share too much about his other life with his family.

When he looked over, Percy had vanished and so had Ron. Harry's smile faltered, his heart sinking. That was three people in this house that hated him. Seconds later, Duo appeared at Harry's side, just before he could think any deeper on two of his brothers' absences. Duo slung an arm around Harry's shoulders, pulling him close. "They still love you," he whispered in Harry's ear. Whether Duo was talking about his two missing brothers or the family as a whole, Harry didn't know, but Duo's words still helped.

Maybe he wouldn't lose his family after all.

oOoOoOo

Harry couldn't sleep. He stared at the ceiling from his spot in the armchair. Slowly, he rose, making sure to keep silent to prevent from waking Duo up from his position on the couch. He headed out back. The only noise was that of the creaky backdoor, but that had been inevitable.

The young wizard stopped behind the shed that housed the Weasley's Quidditch equipment in the backyard. He slumped down on the ground, pulling his knees up to his chest; Harry leaned against them, staring out at the land. It was quiet, as to be expected at such a late hour. It calmed Harry's nerves, relaxing him. But the words that Hermione had said still bothered him. Were the pilots just murderers?

A little while later, Harry felt Duo sit beside him, heard the crunch of the dying grass under him as he took his seat. "Sorry for calling you 'Heero' earlier," he said, looking shamefully at his toes. "I could just see that glint in your eye, the one Heero always had when he was about to disappear."

"Is that all we are?" Harry asked, staring at the forest beyond the property, seemingly not hearing Duo's apology. "Murderers?" He was afraid of the answer he was going to receive, knowing it would be truthful coming from Duo. But he still wanted to hear it.

Duo sighed and Harry could see, through his peripheral, him rake a hand through his messy bangs. The braided boy shrugged. "Not just murderers, but that's a part of us, buddy. We did it all for a purpose. But murder is murder, y'know? If we justify one bad thing, then all bad things will become okay."

It hadn't been what Harry had wanted to hear, but it was what he had expected. Duo was quite the philosopher, if one asked him the right question. Harry took a secret pleasure in asking Duo questions of the like; just to see what else Duo could open his eyes to. It always made Harry feel a little lighter when Duo gave him something else to ponder other than the missions they were sent on. It had been one of his few pleasures throughout the war.

Harry turned his head to Duo, only to see his friend was studying him intensely. "Is it possible to correct our mistakes?" Harry wasn't sure if it was. He had spent many months traveling with Trowa to the families of the men he had so heartlessly destroyed just to apologize, to give them a chance to take his fate into their hands. But the spirits of the men he killed never left him. They just ghosted behind him wherever he went, plaguing his thoughts and actions. Harry wasn't sure he _wanted_ to forget them. He was afraid of what could happen if he allowed it. If he would really turn into the soulless person everyone from the muggle world believed him to be.

Duo looked away from Harry, up at the sky. The stars and colonies were visible, glinting like diamonds in the night sky. "I think it's possible to _learn_ from them. The only way to correct them would be to go back and prevent them from happening. It's the past; we have to put it behind us. Unless your magic people have invented time-travel, I think we're stuck trying to just be better people than we were.

"We did what we did for a cause, a cause we both strongly believed in. We saved lives at the expense of others. It might not be right, but that thought might just be enough to help us keep what little sanity we have left. No, we can't forget those we have affected, those we have stolen life from. But even though the past may have helped shape who we are, it's our current choices that matter the most. The closest we can get to correcting our mistakes is to become better people, now."

Harry moved his gaze from Duo to the sky, right where he knew L1 to be. He didn't like to think he couldn't correct his mistakes. He had made so many of them.

Duo clapped a hand on Harry's shoulder comfortingly. "You aren't alone, Harry," he murmured. Harry just kept staring at the sky, wondering what would have happened if he wasn't the Chosen One. A deep sigh escaped Duo. "Please don't go back to being broodingly quiet all the time. I like hearing what's going on in your head, no matter how crazy it might be." He nudged Harry playfully, earning a small smile from the messy-haired young man.

They sat there for a little while longer, Duo gazing at L2, and Harry at L1. Duo opened his mouth as if he was going to ask Harry something, but a call from the house interrupted him.

"Harry!" Duo raised an eyebrow at Ginny's voice, giving Harry a knowing look.

"What?" Harry asked, slightly defensive.

Duo smirked. "So, Ginny, eh?" he teased.

Harry felt his face burn red as he pushed Duo over and stood. "Coming!" Harry replied, dusting the grass off his jeans. Duo was cracking up from his place on the ground. Harry kicked him in the leg, turning back to the house and trying to hide his embarrassed smile.

Ginny was waiting at the back door. "I thought you ran," she admitted when Harry stopped before her. Her brown eyes were sad as she stared up at Harry.

He hugged her, forgetting all awkwardness. "I won't do that." He paused, holding her tighter. "I've finally come home, and I plan to stay."


End file.
